[[K-Drama]] 'Squid Game' finale holds top spot on Netflix's non-English chart for fifth consecutive week SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - The third and final season of Netflix's South Korean series "Squid Game" topped its weekly charts for non-English shows last week, the American streaming giant said on Wednesday. The dystopian thriller garnered 4.6 million views or 28.59 million viewing hours worldwide in the third week of July to claim the top spot on Netflix's ranking website Tudum's weekly chart for non-English shows, extending its streak for the fifth consecutive week since its release late last month. The latest series has now accumulated 134.7 million views to become the third-most-watched show on Netflix's all-time chart, with its two previous seasons taking the top two spots. The six-episode finale continues the deadly, high-stakes saga that began with its first season in September 2021, once again revolving around hundreds of cash-strapped players who "accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games" for a tempting prize. Also included in Tudum's top ten was crime drama "Trigger" starring Kim Nam-gil and Kim Young-kwang, which debuted at No. 4 after its release last Friday. Meanwhile, "Wall to Wall" starring Kang Ha-neul, also released last Friday, topped Netflix's weekly chart for non-English movies, racking up 7.8 million views in just about a week. The film revolves around a man who spent all his savings buying a new apartment, only to uncover "disturbing noises, hostile neighbors, and unsettling secrets" within its walls. 2025-07-30 14:09:06

Elderly population surpasses 10 million SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - The elderly population in South Korea surpassed 10 million for the first time, Statistics Korea said Tuesday. Those aged 65 and older stood at 10.12 million as of November last year, accounting for 19.5 percent of the total population of 51.81 million, roughly one in five. That also brought the average age of the population to 46.2. Amid an aging society with a super-low birthrate, the elderly population has steadily increased in recent years from 8.71 million in 2021 to 9.61 million in 2023, while the working-age population continues to dwindle. Those aged 15 to 64 stood at 36.26 million last year, down 283,000 from a year ago, with the number of children also dropping by 199,000 to 5.42 million during the same period, further worsening the demographic imbalance. Despite this trend, the total population rose slightly to 51.81 million, up 31,000 from the previous year, mainly due to the influx of foreigners who came here for work or study. The number of South Koreans declined by 77,000 to 49.76 million, but the number of foreign residents increased by 108,000 to 2.04 million, surpassing 2 million for the first time. Among them, ethnic Chinese Koreans accounted for the largest number at 538,000, followed by Vietnamese at 285,000 and Chinese at 223,000. 2025-07-29 16:41:57

Washington remains 'open' to talks with North Korea despite snub SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump remains 'open' to reengaging in talks with North Korea, Reuters reported on Monday. Citing a White House official, it said, Trump "remains open to engaging with as a nuclear weapons state." Trump, who had a couple of photo ops with Kim during his first term, has claimed on several occasions that he still has a "good relationship" with Kim. The previous day, she also ruled out any chance of resuming talks with the South, saying that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is "no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the South Korea–U.S. alliance and pursuing confrontation" with the North. "I make it clear once again that we are not interested in any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul, and there will be no chance of us sitting down with South Korea for any discussions," she fumed. 2025-07-29 15:06:56

Veterans minister reaffirms strength of US-South Korea alliance on armistice anniversary SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul emphasized the strength of the United States-South Korea alliance during a visit to Washington, D.C. on Sunday, marking the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War armistice. According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Kwon met with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins ahead of a ceremony commemorating the anniversary. During the meeting, Kwon expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by American soldiers during the Korean War, who risked their lives to defend the "freedom and peace" of South Korea. He also thanked the U.S. for being the first to deploy the largest number of troops during the war. Kwon invited Collins to visit South Korea later this fall. In response, Collins recognized the importance of honoring the sacrifices and dedication of Korean War veterans and thanked Kwon for the invitation. Kwon is visiting Washington for four days to deliver a speech on behalf of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the anniversary, who pledged to further strengthen the "blood-forged" South Korea-U.S. alliance with future generations. The armistice agreement, signed on July 27, 1953, by the UN Command, North Korea, and China, brought a ceasefire to the 1950–53 Korean War and established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is still in effect today. 2025-07-28 17:06:50

[[K-pop]] Singer-actor Cha Eun-woo begins mandatory military service SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Cha Eun-woo, a member of the K-pop boy group ASTRO, will begin his mandatory military service on Monday. The 28-year-old is scheduled to enter an Army training center in Nonsan at 2:00 p.m. (0500 GMT), joining others who have been conscripted. Fantagio, the singer-actor's agency, Cha will be assigned to the Army's brass band following three weeks of basic training. Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to serve a minimum of 18 months in the Army. Those who enlist in the Air Force or Navy serve for 21 months and 20 months, respectively. A day before his enlistment, Cha greeted fans in a YouTube livestream, where he revealed his freshly cut soldier-style short hair and shared a brief farewell. "I'll stay healthy and return safely. I wish you the best of luck in everything you do," he said. Cha debuted with ASTRO in 2016 with tracks including "Breathless" and "Confession." He later expanded into acting, appearing in dramas such as "Gangnam Beauty" and "Wonderful World." 2025-07-28 10:36:03

US sanctions more North Korean workers over illicit overseas schemes SEOUL, July 25 (AJP) - More North Korean firms and workers involved in illicit schemes abroad have been sanctioned by the U.S. The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Thursday sanctioned North Korean trading company Sobaeksu and three IT workers as "part of a collaborative effort" with the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations to counter North Korea's "wide-ranging revenue generation schemes." The U.S. Department of State also said the same day that the federal agencies are "executing coordinated, decisive actions to keep Americans safe from North Korea's malicious and illicit revenue-generation schemes." It also pledged "rewards totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions, in any country," of seven North Koreans including Sim Hyon-sop, who are accused of involvement in the schemes. The fresh joint measures came after a series of similar actions targeting North Korea's illegal activities were taken earlier. Assessing that North Korea "dispatches thousands of IT workers abroad to orchestrate fraudulent IT work, often from Russia and China," it said their criminal schemes ranging from cryptocurrency theft, illegal transfers of counterfeit goods, and smuggling "often target U.S. companies and U.S. citizens to raise funds for North Korea's dangerous and unlawful and ballistic missile programs," in violation of UN sanctions. "The United States will not stand idly by while North Korea profits from criminal activity to fund its destabilizing actions," it vowed, stressing Washington's "commitment to mitigating such threats posed by North Korea to protect U.S. companies, the U.S. financial system, and American citizens." Under such sanctions, all their assets are frozen, and they are barred from doing business in the U.S. 2025-07-25 13:54:01

Heat wave warning issued again in Seoul as unbearable heat persists SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) - A heat wave warning was issued in Seoul on Thursday, after this summer's brief monsoon season came to an end last week. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the warning was issued around 10 a.m. for the capital as well as surrounding Gyeonggi Province, as scorching heat continues nationwide with daytime highs soaring up to 36 degrees Celsius. The highest-level warning, first issued this season earlier this month before being temporarily eased to an advisory, returned about less than two weeks later. Such a warning is issued when "feels-like" temperatures remain above 35 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive days or when severe damage is anticipated due to extreme heat. But the capital is expected to endure even more sweltering temperatures this weekend, with daytime highs soaring up to 38 degrees. The KMA forecasts that unbearably hot and humid weather will persist at least until early next month, with temperatures staying above the seasonal average in most parts of the country. Meanwhile, this summer's unprecedented heat wave is already breaking records. According to the KMA, the average daily temperature for the first 22 days of this month stood at 24.4 degrees, the highest for the period since the country's meteorological observations expanded nationwide in 1973. The average daily highest temperature during the period also set a record at 29.4 degrees. 2025-07-24 16:42:34

[[K-Film]] South Korean coming-of-age drama to compete at Toronto film fest this fall SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) - Director Yoon Ga-eun's film has been invited to the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to be held in Canada this fall. According to the film's distributor on Thursday, "The World of Love" has been selected to compete along with nine other films in the "Platform" section, the TIFF's only juried competition, which "spotlights films with high artistic merit and strong directorial vision." Organizers of the festival described Yoon's film as a "powerful, emotionally layered drama" in which "a spirited teenager confronts buried pain, while explores the quiet resilience it takes to own one's story — and future." Since making her directorial debut with "The Taste of Salvia," a 19-minute short film, in 2019, the up-and-coming director has mostly directed youth-oriented films that explore the emotional complexities and challenges of coming of age among adolescents. "The World of Love" is set for release here in the second half of this year, after getting its world premiere at the TIFF, which runs from Sept. 4 to 14 in the largest Canadian city. 2025-07-24 11:28:20

G-Dragon to promote upcoming APEC Summit in Gyeongju SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - G-Dragon, a member of the K-pop boy band Big Bang, will promote the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which is scheduled to be held in the historic southern city of Gyeongju this fall. In a message on Facebook on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who has been heading preparations for the two-day summit to be held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, revealed that the flamboyant rapper has been named promotional ambassador, adding that his huge global popularity would help the country successfully host the multilateral gathering of some 21 member countries. "With just 100 days left until the summit, we expect great synergy with his help," Kim said. Later in the day on Instagram, G-Dragon, who will participate in making promotional videos and other activities, expressed his pleasure at having the opportunity to lend a hand for the summit. Meanwhile, another round of the third Senior Officials' Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM3), a preparatory session for the summit, is set to be held in Incheon, west of Seoul, for three days starting from Saturday. 2025-07-23 16:48:34

[[K-film]] Park Chan-wook's latest film to compete at Venice Film Festival next month SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Director Park Chan-wook's latest film has been invited to compete at this year's Venice International Film Festival next month. According to organizers of the prestigious annual festival in a livestreamed event on Tuesday, "No Other Choice" will vie for the top prize along with 20 other films, becoming the first South Korean film invited to the main competition section in over a decade, since the late director Kim Ki-duk's "Pietà," which won the Golden Lion in 2012. Based on American writer Donald E. Westlake's novel "The Ax," the thriller revolves around an office worker, played by actor Lee Byung-hun, who struggles to support his family as a breadwinner after suddenly losing his job. It is Park's second film to be invited to the festival, following "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" in 2005, marking his return to the international spotlight after his critically-acclaimed "Decision to Leave," which earned him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022. The veteran filmmaker also took home the Grand Prix award with "Oldboy" in 2004 and the Jury Prize with "Thirst" in 2009. During a press event held in Seoul in January this year before filming began, Park recalled that he started writing the script some 17 years ago, and said "Completing it after such a long period of struggle made me realize I was right not to give up on this project." "No Other Choice," his 12th feature, is slated for release here this fall, after being screed at the festival, which runs for about two weeks in the Italian city from Aug. 27. 2025-07-23 14:12:15